Eucalyptus phoenix

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Brumby mallee-gum
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Eucalyptus
Species:
E. phoenix
Binomial name
Eucalyptus phoenix

Eucalyptus phoenix, commonly known as brumby mallee-gum, [2] is a species of mallee that is endemic to a restricted area in Victoria, Australia. It has smooth white to greyish bark, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between five and eleven, white flowers and hemispherical fruit.

Contents

Description

Eucalyptus phoenix is a mallee that typically grows to a height of 5 m (16 ft) and forms a lignotuber. It has smooth white to light grey bark that is shed in thin strips and plates. Young plants and coppice regrowth have dull, light green to bluish leaves that are slightly paler on the lower side, egg-shaped to more or less round, 50–80 mm (2.0–3.1 in) long and 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) wide. Adult leaves are the same shade of shiny green on both sides, lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 80–100 mm (3.1–3.9 in) long and 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) wide on a petiole 10–17 mm (0.39–0.67 in) long. The flower buds are arranged in leaf axils in groups of between five and eleven on a thin, unbranched peduncle 8–14 mm (0.31–0.55 in) long, the individual buds on pedicels 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long. Mature buds are club-shaped, 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide with a conical operculum 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide. Flowering occurs from late spring to early summer the flowers are white. The fruit is a woody, hemispherical capsule about 8 mm (0.31 in) long and wide with the valves level with the rim. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Eucalyptus phoenix was first formally described in 2013 by Kevin Rule and Susan G. Forrester in the journal Muelleria from material collected near Brumby Point. [4] The specific epithet (phoenix) "commemorates the serendipitous discovery of a small amount of the seed of this rare new plant following the apparently all-consuming fire of 2013." Like the fabled Phoenix of Greek mythology, this species arose from the flames. [2]

Distribution

Brumby mallee is only known from a population of fewer than 100 mature plants near Brumby Point on a spur in subalpine woodland at an altitude of about 1,360 m (4,460 ft). [2] [3]

Conservation status

This species is listed as "endangered" in Victoria. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Eucalyptus hawkeri is a species of mallee or slender tree that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It has rough, flaky or fibrous bark on the lower trunk, smooth bark above, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between seven and eleven, white flowers and cylindrical or barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Eucalyptus gregoryensis</i> Species of eucalyptus

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Eucalyptus arenicola, commonly known as the Holey Plains peppermint or Gippsland Lakes peppermint, is a tree or mallee that is endemic to south-east coastal areas of Victoria. It has rough, fibrous bark on its trunk and branches, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, club-shaped buds arranged in groups of eleven to twenty five, white flowers and cup-shaped to hemispherical fruit.

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Eucalyptus molyneuxii is a species of small tree or mallee that is endemic to the Little Desert National Park area of Victoria. It has short-fibrous bark on varying amounts of its trunk and branches, smooth bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds arranged in groups of between eleven and fifteen, white flowers and cup-shaped or conical fruit.

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Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. parvifructa is a mallee or small tree that is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It has smooth bark, slightly glaucous branchlets, glossy green, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit. It differs from other subspecies of E. pauciflora in having a smaller habit and smaller leaves, flower buds and fruit.

Eucalyptus silvestris is a species of mallee or small tree that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It has rough, fibrous or flaky bark on the trunk and larger branches, smooth greyish brown bark above, glossy green, lance-shaped leaves, flower buds usually in groups of seven, white flowers and conical to cup-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus splendens, commonly known as apple jack, is a species of small, spreading tree that is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It has fibrous or corky bark on the trunk and thicker branches, lance-shaped to curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, white flowers and hemispherical to cup-shaped fruit.

References

  1. "Eucalyptus phoenix". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Rule, Kevin James; Forrester, Susan G. (2013). "A new mallee species Eucalyptus phoenix from Brumby Point, East Gippsland, Victoria" (PDF). Muelleria. 31: 66–68. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Messina, Andre; Stajsic, Val. "Eucalyptus phoenix". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  4. "Eucalyptus phoenix". APNI. Archived from the original on 1 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.